Learn why desert sand becomes very hot in the daytime and very cold at night with a simple explanation perfect for 9-year-old kids.
Imagine the desert as a giant oven under the bright sun. During the day, the sun shines very strongly on the desert. The sand absorbs the sunlight and heats up quickly, just like when you leave a metal spoon in a hot cup of tea. That is why the sand in the desert can get super hot during the daytime.
At night, the sun goes away, and there is no more heat to warm the sand. Because sand doesn't hold heat well, it quickly loses the warmth it gained during the day. Without the sun, the desert becomes very cold, and so does the sand beneath your feet. This is why desert temperatures can change a lot between day and night!
So, in short, the desert sand gets very hot in the day because the sun’s energy warms it up, and it becomes very cold at night because it quickly loses that heat once the sun sets.